Machine for controlling power-operated apparatus connected with railway switches and signals.



No. 863,237. PATENTED AUG 18, 1907.

J. D. TAYLOR-.

MACHINE FOR CONTROLLING POWER OPERATED'APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH RAILWAYSWITCHES AND SIGNALS.

APPLICATION FILED 001.26, 1905.

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No. 863,237. PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907.

- J. D. TAYLOR.

MACHINE FOR CONTROLLING POWER OPERATED APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH RAILWAYSWITCHES AND SIGNALS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT.26. 1905.

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No. 868,237. PATENTED AUG. 18, 1907. J. I). TAYLOR.

MAGHINB FOR CONTROLLING POWER OPERATED APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH RAILWAYSWITCHES AND SIGNALS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T|26. 1905.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

No. 863,237. PATENTED AUG. 18, 1907. J. D. TAYLOR.

MACHINE FOR CONTROLLING POWER OPERATED APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH RAILWAYSWITCHES AND SIGNALS.

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No. 863,237. PATENTED AUG. 13, 19077.

J. D. TAYLOR. MACHINE PORGONTROLLING POWER OPERATED APPARATUS CONNECTEDWITH RAILWAY SWITCHES AND SIGNALS. APPLICATION FILED 00T.26, 1905.

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PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907.

J. 1). TAYLOR. MACHINE FOR CONTROLLING POWER OPERATED APPARATUSCONNECTED WITH RAILWAY SWITCHES AND SIGNALS.

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N 863 237. PATENTED AUG. 131907, J. D. TAYLOR.

MACHINE FOR CONTROLLING POWER OPERATED APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH RAILWAYSWITCHES AND SIGNALS.

APPLICATION FILED 00126, 1905.

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rinTTnn STATES PATENT FFIUE.

JOHN D. TAYLOR, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSlGNOR TO THE UNIONSWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OFPENNSYL VANIA.

MACHINE FOR CONTROLLING POWER-OPERATED APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH RAILWAYSWITCHES AND SIGNALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1907.

Application filed October 26, 1905. Serial No. 284,429.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Wilkinsburg, county of Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines forControlling Power-Operated Apparatus Connected with Railway Switches andSignals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for controlling power operatedapparatus connected with railway switches or signals or both andreferred to in the claims as railway parts. Such machines generallycomprise levers, mechanical interlocking for the levers and electriclocks for each lever. Each lever has, generally, a preliminary, anintermediate, and a final movement. The preliminary movement of a leveris designed to operate that part of the mechanical interlockingassociated with it, and through the mechanical interlocking to lock oneor more other levers of the system to which it belongs. The preliminarymovement also sets the electrical lock which, as is well known, preventsthe final movement of the lever which would release one or more otherlevers of the system. This is all well understood in the art.

My present invention relates more particularly to automatically moving alever or levers to their final position after their electrical lockshave been actuated to release the levers. I preferably employ anelectric motor and suitable mechanism for accomplishing this.

I will describe a machine embodying my invention and its connection withsuitable power operated apparatus and then point out the novel featuresthereof in claims.

In. the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of part ofan interlocking machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverseview of the same shown partly in vertical section and embodying myinvention. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of a part of the machineillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 3,taken along the line x.e. Figs. 5 to 17, inclusive, are detail views andillustrate parts of the machine of Figs. 1 and 2 as applied to leverscontrolling switch operating apparatus. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectiontaken on the line 77 Fig. 5. Figs. 18 to 27, inclusive, are detail viewsand illustrate parts of the machine of Figs. 1 and 2 as applied tolevers controlling signal operating apparatus. Figs. 28, 33 and 34 arediagrams of circuits for controlling the movements of a single switch.Figs. 29, 30, 31 and 32 are sectional elevations of a switch lever, itsshaft and coupling thereto.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of thefigures.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the several levers A, B, C, D, etc. are eachcoupled to horizontal shafts 1, 2, 3, 4 etc., which extend transverselyof the machine frame. Each shaft 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. carries a segment of aspur gear 102, (see Fig. 2), which meshes with a rack formed on theunder side of a longitudinal locking bar 101, and these locking bars areinterlocked with one another by means of transverse locking bars (notshown) which constitutes the mechanical Interlocking. This mechanicalinterlocking may be of any of the well known types and therefore needsno further description. Each shaft also carries a movable part or partsof a circuit controller by means of which the circuits to the switch orsignal operating apparatus are controlled.

In Figs. 2, 28, 33 and 34, I have illustrated a form of circuitcontroller which may be employed. 66 and 67 designate the movable partsand 60, 61, 62, 63, (i l and designate the parts which co-act with themovable parts 66 and 67.

Each switch lever A, C, E, etc. is coupled to its shaft by a couplingwhich permits of a certain amount of lost motion between the lever andthe shaft. In practice I make the lever move through an arc of 45degrees and allow 15 degrees of lost motion between the lever and theshaft so that the complete movement of the shaft Will be through an arcof 60 degrees. While these figures may be departed from in practice, Ishall use them for convenience in description.

The rotational movement of each shaft by its lever gives a longitudinalmovement to a locking bar 101, and the first part of this movement ofthe locking bar locks up all other levers whose movements to controlswitch or signal apparatus would. conflict with the switch or signaloperated by the lever first moved to its new position; as for instance,when the lever C is moved from left to right to its full extent of 45degrees, its shaft 3 will be rotated through thesame are and move alocking bar, 101, so as to lock up all levers controlling apparatuswhose movements of switches or signals would conflict with the switch orsignal apparatus controlled by the lever C. The lost motion between theshaft 3 and the lever C would permit a further movement of 15 degrees ofsaid shaft 3 and further movement of the locking bar, 101, which furthermovement will release all levers whose movements to control switch orsignal apparatus do not conflict with the apparatus operated by thelever C to its new position. The shaft 3, as do all other shafts, alsocarries a locking member '7 5, having the shape of a segment of a circleand two shoulders 7 5 and 7 5 formed thereon which engage with a latch80, when the latch is down in its normal position, and thus, prevent thefinal movement of the shaft to either position and thereby prevent therelease of the mechanical locking until such time as the latch is raisedout of the path of the said shoulders. The latch 80 is raised at theproper time by the indication motor 59, which is excited only after thecorresponding track switch has been completely moved over and locked.This indication motor 59, here shown, and the lock operated thereby,together with its circuits,is shown and described in my pendingapplication Serial No. 241,473, filed January 17th, 1905, and is hereshown merely as a means for raising the latch 80. Any other of the wellknown means for effecting the same purpose, such as for instance, anelectro-magnet might be used in connection with this invention.

Each shaft also carries a fixed arm 76 clamped thereto. A bushing 7 6,one half of which is shown in side elevation in Fig. 11 and in endelevation Fig. 12, intervenes between the arm 76 and the shaft to permitadjustment. The arm 76 is provided at its lower end with two pawls, 78and 79, and a loosely pivoted arm 7 7, having two shoulders, 77 and 7 7capable of engaging with the said pawls. The parts, 77, 76 and 75, withtheir attachments are more clearly shown in Figs. 5 to 17 inclusive. Thelatch 80 carries a stud, 81, which projects under one or other of thesaid pawls, 78 or 79, in such a manner that when the latch 80 is liftedby the motor 59 being excited, the pawl which happens to be over thestud at the time, is lifted to a position to engage with one of the saidshoulders on the arm 77. These arms 77 are conn ected with alongitudinal bar, 74, running the full length of the machine, and thisbar is caused to oscillate longitudinally by means of an electric motor19, coupled thereto by means of an eccentric 103, the rod 72 and thecrank 73. The oscillatory motion of the bar 74 imparts similar motion toeach of the arms 77, and when one of the pawls, 78 or 79, is lifted, soas to engage with a shoulder of the arm 77 the shaft, as 3 for instance,will be moved to its final position, thus moving the locking bar 101 toa position to release certain other levers. This final movement of theshaft 3 also takes up all of the lost motion between it and the lever O.The connections between the lever O and shaft 3 are shown in detail inFigs. 29 to 32 inclusive. The'part 99 is rigidly connected to the shaftand the lugs 100 are formed on the lever. The lugs 100 engage withnotches in the part 99. These notches are made wider by 15 degrees thanthe lugs. Fig. 29 shows thelever and shaft both in complete reversedposition. Fig. 30 shows the lever in normal position but the shaft inthe position it has before the indication is received, that is, beforethe locking has been released. Fig. 31 shows the lever and shaft both incomplete normal position. Fig. 32 shows the lever reversed, but shaftnot yet having completed its movement.

The description above refers more particularly to the switch lever. Themechanism of the signal lever is somewhat different in construction, dueto the fact that the signal lever stands normally in the middleposition. A movement to the right from this position is employed toclear a certain signal, while a movement to the left would clear anothersignal, generally an opposing signal. The details of the signal levermechanism are shown in Figs. 18 to 26, inclusive. The lever, as D forinstance, is pivoted loosely on the shaft 4 and carries two pawls, and86, which engage with the shoulders 88, 89, 91 or 92, formed on thepiece 84, which is attached rigidly to the shaft 4. Fig. 24 shows thelever in a normal position with the pawls 85 and 86 engaging theshoulders 92 and 89 respectively. The lever is locked in the normalposition by means of the spring pressed latch 93, engaging with thenotch 98 formed in a part fixed to the frame of the machine. When thelever D is moved to the right, as shown in Fig. 25, so that the latch 93drops into the notch it is in reverse position to the right. In thisposition the corresponding signal would be cleared. In this position thepawl 85 is thrown out of engagement with the shoulder 92 by means of alug, 90, fixed to the frame of the machine. On the return movement ofthe lever towards normal position the pawl 85 passes over the shoulder92 and engages with the shoulder 91 so that the lever moves through acertain angular distance, say 15 degrees, before it begins to move theshaft 4, and when the lever is back into its normal position the shaftlacks 15 degrees of being normal. It is locked in this position by meansof the latch 80 of the electrical lock engaging with a shoulder on thesegment 75 fixed to the shaft 4. When this latch is raised by theindication motor 59 it is freed from the shoulder on the segment 7 5 andby means of the stud 81 lifts the pawl 78, causing it to engage with thearm 7 7, which will move the shaft 4 into its complete normal position.The pawl 85 then drops behind the shoulder 92 preparatory to a reversemovement to the left.

Each lever is provided with an indicator to show whether the shaft hasmade its complete movement. This indicator, Fig. 1, comprises an armfixed to the shaft in front of the lever and having a mark or marksthereon which agree with a corresponding mark on the lever when theshaft and lever are both in a complete normal or reverse position. Incase of the switch lever, two marks, one indicated by the letter R andthe other by the letter N are provided for indicating the normal orreverse position of the shaft. The indicators of the signal lever haveonly one mark as it is unnecessary to indicate the reverse position ofthe signal. In Fig. 1., the lever A and its corresponding shaft 1 areboth in a complete normal position and the mark designated N on theindicator a is in line with the mark a on the lever A. The lever C is innormal position but its corresponding shaft 3 has not been released togo to the normal position. The mark R coincides with the line 0indicating that so far as the locking which is effective when the leveris reversed is concerned, the lever is still reversed. The lever E andcorresponding shaft 5 are both in complete reversed positions and thelevers G and I and their corresponding shafts 7 and 9, are both incomplete normal position. The lever K is in reversed position with theshaft 11, not yet released. F is a signal lever that has been put normalfrom the left hand position with its shaft 6, not yet released. II showsa signal lever in a similar condition but having been put normal fromthe right hand position.

Figs. 28, 33, and 34, are diagrams of the circuits of a single switch orderail movement with its corresponding controller attached to the levershaft of the interlocking machine, and its indication motor and thecircuits by which the stroke completing, motor 19,

is controlled. Fig. 28 shows the condition of the circuits andcontrollers at the beginning of the reverse movement. Fig. 33 shows thesame at the end of the reverse movement but before the lock has beenreleased. Fig. 34 shows the same with all parts in complete reversedpositions. The parts (56 and 66 are in reality one piece but are shownseparately in elevation for the sake of clearness. The same remarks willapply to the parts 67 and 67 When the switch lever is reversed to putthe parts of the controller in the position shown in Fig. 28 a circuitfrom the source of supply here shown as a battery 13 will be completedso that current will flow from the said battery through the wire 53,magnet 16, wire 54, primary coil of the transformer 14, fuse 68, wire40, brush 61, contact 66, wire 66, contact 66 brush 65, wire 42, fieldcoil 20 of the switch operating motor, wire 44, contacts 29, wire 46,magnet 35, wire 50, coil of magnetic clutch 23, brush 26, armature 22 ofthe switch operating motor, and wire 52, back to battery 13. Thiscurrent circulating in the coil of magnet 16 energizes it and causes itto lift its armature 17 so as to make contact with stop 13. Anothercircuit of the battery 13 is thus established which causes current toflow through wire 53, armature 17, stop 18, wire 57, motor 19, wires 58and 52, back to the battery 13. This energizes the motor 19 causing itto impart a reciprocating motion to the bar 74. When the reversemovement of the switch 71 is completed, the contact arm 31 is separatedfrom the contacts 29 and connects the contacts 30, Fig. This alters thepath of the current through the switch operating motor causing it toflow from wire 44, through contacts 30, wire 48, contacts 39, wire 51,brush 27, armature 22, and wire 52, back to battery 13. The brush 27bears on a ring connected to one segment of the commutator of thearmature 22, which causes an undulating current to flow in the abovedescribed circuit as set forth in my pending application, Serial No.241,473. This undulating current, which is of one sign, still energizesthe magnet 16 but it produces undulating magnetism in the core of thetransformer by circulating in the coils 14 of the said transformer. Thisundulating magnetism in the transformer induces an alternating currentin the secondary coil 15, which llows through the fuses 70, G9,indication motor 59, and wire 56. This causes the indication motor 59 torotate and by means of the centrifugal apparatus carried by its armatureshaft lifts the latch 80 releasing the segment 75 and causing the latch79 to engage with the shoulder 77 on the arm 77, which is inreciprocating motion due to the rotation of the armature of motor 19.The travel of the arm 77 is suflicient to give the final 15 degrees ofmotion to the shaft of the switch lever. When this final movement takesplace the controller attached to the switch lever shalt takes theposition as shown in Fig. 34. In this position another circuit ofbattery 13 is completed so that the current will divide at the brush 27of the switch operating motor, part returning by the last named circuitand the other part through the armature 22, brushes 26 and 25, coil ofclutch 23, brush 24, wire 50, magnet 36, wire 47, contacts 33, wire 45,field coil 21, wire 43, brush 64, movable contact 67 wire 67, movablecontact 67, brush 62, wire 41, through the indication motor 59 and thesecondary coil 15 in parallel, wires 55 and 52 back to the battery 13.This last named current excites the magnet 36, which draws its n'mature37 away from the contacts 39 and places it in connection with contacts38 preparatory to the next or normal movement. Separating the contacts39 cuts off all current from the battery 13 and the magnet 16 becomesdcenergizcd, its armature 17 then drops away from stop 18 and stops thecurrent through motor 19. It will thus be seen that current is onlyconsumed in motor 19 when it is actually required for doing the work ofcompleting the stroke of the lever shaft.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In combination with levers of an interlocking machine, of mechanismfor locking and releasing the levers, shafts coupled to the levers andadapted to be rotated thereby through a predetermined angle forcontrolling the movements of railway parts and for actuating the saidmechanism to perform a locking function, and means for automaticallyrotating the shafts through a further angle and thereby actuating thesaid mechanism to perform a releasing function. 1

2. In combination with levers of an interlocking ma chine, of mechanismfor locking and releasing the lovers, shafts coupled to the levers andadapted to be rotated thereby through a predetermined angle forcontrolling the movements of railway parts and for actuating the saidmechanism to perform a locking function, locking members rigidlyconnected to the shafts, latches adapted to engage the locking members,electro-mngnetic means for moving said latches out of engagement withtheir respective locking members, a stud forming an integral part of orrigidly connected to each latch, oscillating arms loosely connected tothe shafts and provided with lugs or shoulders, arms rigidly connectedto the shafts and provided with pawls adapted to be moved by the studsinto engagement with the lugs of the oscillating arms when theirrespective electromagnetic means are energized, thereby rotating theshafts through a further angle to actuate the locking mechanism toperform a releasing function, and circuits for energizing the saidelectro-magnetic means, substantially as described.

In combination with levers of an interlocking machine. of mechanism forlocking and releasing the levers, shafts coupled to the levers andadapted to be rotated thereby through a predetermined angle forcontrolling the movements of railway parts and for actuating the saidmechanism to perform a locking function, locking members rigidlyconnected to the shafts, and latches adapted to engage the lockingmembers, electromagnetic means for mov ing said latches out ofengagement with their respective locking members. a stud forming anintegral part of or rigidly connected to each latch, oscillating armsloosely connected to the shafts and provided with lugs or shoulders,bars adapted to oscillate longitudinally-and pivotally supported by thesaid oscillating arms, an electric motor and means for converting therotary movement of the armature of said motor into an oscillatorymovement of the said bars. and circuits controlling the said electricmotor, the said circuits comprising a source of electric energy and anelectro-magnetic circuit controller in circuit therewith.

4. In combination with a lever, a shaft adapted to be rotated on itslongitudinal axis by the lever, and a coupling between the lever and theshaft, the said coupling comprising a part rigidly connected to theshaft and means carried by the lever for engaging said rigid part afterlost motion. and means for moving the shaft independently of: the leverafter an operation of the shaft by the lever.

In combination with a plurality of levers of an interlocking machine, aplurality of shafts rotatable through a predetermined angle by thesaidlevers, and means for moving the shaft independently of the levers, saidmeans comprising a reciprocating bar, and a coupling between the saidbar and shafts.

6. In combination with a lever of an interlocking machine, a shaft towhich the lever is coupled and for moving the shaft through apredetermined angle, pawls carried by said lever, a reciprocating barwith which said pawls are adapted to be engaged, and an electric lockfor said lever,

Said lock when actuated being adapted to move either of said pawls intoengagement with the reciprocating bar whereby said shaft is given amovement independently of the lever.

7. In combination with lovers of an interlocking machine, of mechanismfor locking and releasing the lovers, shafts coupled to the levers andadapted to be rotated thereby through a predetermined angle forcontrolling the movements of railway parts and for actuating the saidmechanism to perform a locking function, means for limiting themovements of the levers, the said means comprising latches movablyattached to the levers, and pieces or parts rigidly attached to themachine or frame having therein recesses for the reception of the saidlatches, and indicators attached to the levers whereby the positions oflevers are indicated, substantially as described and illustrated.

8. In combination with a plurality of interlocked shafts of aninterlocking machine, levers for rotating the shafts through a certainangle for effecting the movements of railway parts and for lockingcertain of said shafts, latches for locking said shafts against furtherrotation, an oscillating mechanism actuated by a motor, andelectromagnetic means for disengaging said latches from said shafts andfor connecting said shaft with said oscillating mechanism to causefurther rotation of said shafts for releasing certain other of' saidshafts.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribed witnesses.

JOHN D. TAYLOR.

Witnesses A. HERMAN WnGNEn, HENRY R. BAUER.

